How do I stop Edge from opening PDF files?

Anonymous
2020-04-16T12:40:17+00:00

How do I stop Microsoft edge from opening? everytime I do the system performance check from dell it sets up Microsoft edge to open PDF files and I have my own program I use, however I cant set it as my default program.... 

* Original title: Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge | Read PDFs | Windows 10

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Anonymous
2020-04-17T08:41:58+00:00

Hi,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

We understand your concern as you would like to change the default app for PDF file from Edge to Adobe.

In this scenario, we would suggest you to perform these methods and check.

Method 1: Change the setting for Apps

  1. Press Windows + I key to launch Windows Settings.
  2. Click on Apps and select Default apps from the left pane.
  3. Now scroll down and click on Choose default apps by file type.
  4. Scroll and look for .pdf, .pdxml, and .pdx file type, then click on the + sign to change it to Adobe Reader.

Method 2: Stop opening PDF file if you are using New Edge Chromium.

  1. Open Microsoft Edge
  2. Click on the three dots (…) from the right top corner.
  3. Select Settings from the drop down and click on Site permissions from the left pane.
  4. Scroll down and click on PDF documents, Toggle the switch to On for Always open PDF files externally.

Notes: If the Always open PDF files externally is on then if you try to open any online PDF document, it will prompt you to download and later you can use Adobe Reader to view.

Regards,

Aditya Roy

Microsoft Community – Moderator

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Anonymous
2020-08-14T08:06:25+00:00

Adobe Acrobat professional is not changing the default app.  

It was in 2018 that Windows tightened up the file association protection measures that you seem to be running into. I can't find documentation for this, but versions newer than Acrobat Pro DC 18 shouldn't be doing this. It's likely that Acrobat Pro 2017 writes to registry keys that only users are allowed to change (by using the default apps settings available).

Could it be that you're using an older version of Acrobat?

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-04-30T03:57:22+00:00

    I have done Method 1 and almost daily, Edge takes over again. How do I stop Microsoft from forcing Edge on me for PDF's?

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-04-21T15:41:50+00:00

    Thanks for answer, it is helpfull as a workaround but there are still issues with privacy/security levels we, users should have right to set.

    Questions remain:

    Whay does it matter when it was measure introduced?

    Who gives Microsoft the right to change settings we chose?

    Why does Microsoft think we WANT to use Edge even if we switch default to alternative software?

    Edge is only a replacement for Acrobat and no matter how old original software is, it still has more tools to handle PDFs than Edge, so why does M'soft think Edge is superior viewer?

    This is not PDF issue only. In days befort monstrosity of Windows 10 any software would ask if we want it o be default and if we answered yes it was permanent setting.

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-04-06T05:48:50+00:00

    The file(s) that is continuously changing the end user default for handling PDF's (and Photos) is: OEMDefaultAssociations DLL and XML.

    Here's the section that forces Windows to use MS Edge to open PDF files:

    <Association Identifier=".pdf" ProgId="AppXd4nrz8ff68srnhf9t5a8sbjyar1cr723" ApplicationName="Microsoft E ApplicationName="Microsoft Edge" ApplyOnUpgrade="true" OverwriteIfProgIdIs="AppXk660crfh0gw7gd9swc1nws708mn7qjr1;AppX86746z2101ayy2ygv3g96e4eqdf8r99j" />

    And this is the section that forces Windows to use MS Photo or Paint to open JPG files:

    <Association Identifier=".jpg" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" ApplyOnUpgrade="true" OverwriteIfProgIdIs="AppX9vdwcvrwnbettpahnt26jswq0n8hgyah;Paint.Paint;Microsoft.PhotoManager.imagetype;jpegfile" />

    Renaming file and editing the XML file isn't the answer, as some others have suggested. Apparently the DLL file(s) overrides the change by reverting to the original code, which overwrites any attempt you make to change the default program. That's why everyone is running in circles on this. 

    Microsoft has once again tied its browser to the OS, however in doing so, they are forcing the end user/license holder to use MS Edge if they want to open a PDF. Yes, we can continually change the default back to whatever program we prefer to use. But that's not fair to the Windows end user.

    Personally, I don't use Edge in any version. I prefer Chrome and Firefox. And I don't use Adobe Acrobat for PDF's - I use Foxit's PhantomPDF Business edition.

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